Henrietta Jackson

Henrietta Jackson, age 89, passed away on January 17, 2014, after a period of declining health due to gastric cancer. Henrietta was born May 18, 1924 on a farm in the Bear Creek community of Onslow County, near Swansboro, NC. She was the youngest of three children born to Edgar Isaac Riggs and Edith Ann Matthews Riggs. She was predeceased in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, the Rev. Lester P. Jackson, Jr., her parents, her sister, and her brother.

Church was always a large part of Henrietta's life. Her earliest memories took place in her home church of Oak Grove United Methodist Church, where she was active in the conference youth program. She was also active in the 4H club. Henrietta graduated from Swansboro High School, where she played basketball. After graduating from high school, Henrietta went to a branch of William and Mary in Norfolk, VA. While there, Pearl Harbor was attacked, so when that school year ended, she stayed at home for a year working for the US Navy Medical Department at the newly created Camp Lejeune Marine Base, less than a mile from her home. After a year working with the Navy, Henrietta went to Duke University as both a student, and to work with the North Carolina Methodist Conference, which was located on the Duke campus at the time. Shortly thereafter, she met Lester P. Jackson, Jr. and they were married December 27, 1945. Duke always held a very special place in her heart; especially Duke Gardens where Lester proposed to her. They had one daughter, Eleanor Ann Jackson.
Henrietta worked alongside Lester in all of his churches over their 43-year ministry. They were a team, working together for the Lord and His people. She was totally selfless person, who always put everyone else's needs ahead of her own. She was a kind, gentle, quiet person, who couldn't stand to be in the spotlight. She avoided cameras, praise, and snakes. She loved animals of every kind, but cats in particular. She always volunteered to pet sit for her grandcats through the years, and thoroughly enjoyed them. They certainly all loved her. She was passionate about environmental causes, believing that humanity should take care of the Earth, God's creation.

She is survived by her daughter Eleanor Jackson Settle and her son-in-law Donald T. Settle, of Raleigh, her cat, Prince, and her grandcat Emma.

Both Henrietta and Lester donated their bodies to the Anatomical Gifts Program at Duke Medical Center. There, medical students study the human body and all its organs to aid them in becoming the best doctors they can possibly be. Each donor is treated with great dignity and respect. Eventually, their ashes will be mingled together, per their request, and scattered in Duke Forest.

A Memorial service will be held at The Cremation Society of the Carolinas on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 2:00 PM, with visitation at 1:00 PM. The address is 2205 E. Millbrook Rd., Raleigh, NC (919-571-3300), on the corner of Millbrook Rd. and Alpinis Dr. Please do not send flowers. Henrietta had many charities that she loved to support, but her favorites were UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) – PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068, ZOE Ministry – 700 Waterfield Ridge Place, Garner, NC 27529, and many, many animal welfare organizations and environmental organizations. Condolences may be expressed at CremationSocietyNC.com